Author
Topic: Mysterious Mysteries
(Read 5186 times)

Drew4UTk · « **on:** August 06, 2019, 10:32:49 AM »

i remember well the days in years past a fan of UT would know who left and who was taking that spot right off the top of their head. I had a grade school teacher, a lady, who knew that team better than most anyone else- but it wasn't uncommon as it was a certain way to converse in those hills at the time.

in greeting: "what about them Vols?"
in response: "hopefully (so and so) can take over the left tackle position on the line and let (so and so) time enough to hand the ball off or pull it, but until that comes to be known we just don't know- it's a mystery".

yeah, ^ that- ain't no mystery. those old timers just don't know what it's like to see a program crushed, kicked around for more than a decade, and then reattempting to establish a reflection of 'what they once were'. a mystery, a modern mystery, is not having a clue what to expect from the team.

OLine- just about has to be better than last season speaking solely statistically. or, it could hold steady. it's a question. a burning one.
Skilled Positions on O: QB? RB's? Receivers? What impact with Cheney have?

DLine- well... i'm guessing they're going to field a D line. I'm fairly certain of it, actually. There are 14 players topping 300#, and I'm guessing they intend to play them on the line, and most of them were recruited as D line players.. so...
LB's? Secondary? The transfer portal has remained largely quiet out of UT, and the team was youngish, so... there is hope? I don't know. It's a mystery, too.

it's ALL a mystery.

Tell me, savants of all things UT living in my computer, what does this season hold?

fuzzynavol · « **Reply #1 on:** August 06, 2019, 10:59:42 AM »

I still nerd-out on the roster and recruiting. I will try to work in a high school game or two.

I've got us winning 8 games this year, but don't want to be pinned down on which ones.

I like Pruitt, but I think his future all depends on Harrison Bailey. If he's a future 1st rounder, then Pruitt will still be around in 5 years (unless he gets hired away). If Bailey is a bust, then Pruitt will be gone within 5 years.

I also think Chaney needs to go on a diet.

Drew4UTk · « **Reply #2 on:** August 06, 2019, 11:10:14 AM »

yeah, Chaney is good for this season, perhaps, but unless he gets a grip on the treadmill this may be the only season anyone 'gets' him.

i think Pruitt is the man for the moment- that he is quietly putting together a team... and i do mean 'quietly'. he is 'old school', it seems, that he keeps his mouth shut and let's results speak for him. i hope they speak well.

i've got them at 8 as a ceiling, and 6 at the floor... 6 or 7 will likely be a bad season by most fan's measure.

fuzzynavol · « **Reply #3 on:** August 06, 2019, 02:26:37 PM »

Quote from: Drew4UTk on August 06, 2019, 11:10:14 AM

yeah, Chaney is good for this season, perhaps, but unless he gets a grip on the treadmill this may be the only season anyone 'gets' him.

i think Pruitt is the man for the moment- that he is quietly putting together a team... and i do mean 'quietly'. he is 'old school', it seems, that he keeps his mouth shut and let's results speak for him. i hope they speak well.

i've got them at 8 as a ceiling, and 6 at the floor... 6 or 7 will likely be a bad season by most fan's measure.

I think 6 wins is a disappointment. 7 is okay. 8 is good. 9 is great.

The daughter of some close friends of our's in Nashville dated Ty Chandler in high school when he was at MBA, so I've known about him for a long time - they knew he was going to play college when he was a freshman. She was a (white) private school girl from Belle Meade (wealthy, blue-blood neighborhood) who became enchanted with hip-hop culture and dating black athletes. It's interesting to watch that kind of thing play out. She (the mom) thought Ty was a nice kid, but "only interested in one thing like all high school boys." Hope he makes it to the NFL - he seems borderline right now but I guess if John Kelly got signed...

Speaking of MBA, I went there way back to watch UT-commit Travis Stephens from Clarksville play back in the 90's. He was incredible in high school, but there was this linebacker for MBA who was a demon and just kept crushing people - you could hear his hits in the parking lot. Finally caught his name - Will Bartholomew. I'd never heard of him but he committed to UT a few weeks later and I was glad.

DunkingDan · « **Reply #4 on:** August 17, 2019, 06:23:35 PM »

I see a low of 7 wins and a high of 9, I hope we pile it on Vandy.

If Trey can play the OL will be better, but Frosh will be Frosh and play early and often as well as RS Frosh, if we have any.

QB as long as JG stays healthy, we will be ok. RB will be improved . Gray may be special, Banks if he can hold on to the ball will be tough in short yardage.

Rec. should be good

DL is suspect with so many new starters but I think will wind up being better than last years by the end of the season.

LB we have two stud freshmen and a RS Frosh who may be very good before he is done. I think they will start slow but will be slobber knockers before they leave

DB will be a strength.

The roster is getting deeper and appears more depth is coming along with in the nest year or so to be able to RS and develop some players, We still need more linemen. But the size is increasing, and a lot of flab is being replaced by muscle. Something that was very noticeable last year when you saw them side by side with other teams players.

The coaching staff was upgraded, and I suspect if any do not perform, they will be replaced and the usual hysteria will follow.